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From Our Research Team:

When All You Really Want is a Great Guitar

The Special Edition American Standard Stratocaster^® is a limited run of an American classic, sporting several redesigned features that prime this icon for the 21st century. Among the new features are a new neck and body finish, a new bridge, Alnico V pickups, and a Fender-exclusive high-tech molded case by SKB. The Special Edition American Standard Strat^® includes classic FENDER^® touches and fan-favorites such as hand-rolled fingerboard edges and staggered tuning machines. Available in a variety of colors with a matching headstock, these limited-edition guitars position the American Standard Stratocaster as a modern classic with a special finish package!

Fender Special Edition American Standard Stratocaster at a Glance:

• American Standard Stratocaster Bridge
  
• Bridge Component Specifics
  
• Neck Gloss and Tint
  
• Thinner Body Undercoat
  
• Fender SKB Case

American Standard Stratocaster Bridge
The Special Edition American Standard Stratocaster sports a new bridge that gives sought-after tone with modern smooth trem travel. This redesigned block retains the mass and tone of a vintage bridge block, but is chamfered for access to deeper dives. The new saddles have the classic look and tone, but with modern improvements such as spacing, slot elongation, and height screw length).

Bridge Components
The American Standard Stratocaster incorporates bent steel Fender saddles. The original vintage-style Fender bent steel adjustable saddle is one of the components that give vintage Fenders their tonal 'mojo.' Fender conducted tone comparison tests, and discovered the magic all over again. Sonically, they have a wider tonal range and more character than the other saddles. Then Fender improved them, narrowing the spacing to afford more room (and complement the bigger frets and rolled edges), and also elongated the string slot to reduce friction and string breakage, while improving the string break angle over the primary contact point. The end result: more tone!

A typical cast bridge block is impregnated with a resin to eliminate 'voids' in the material and to bond it together. Fender's new steel block is infused with copper, which makes the block 100% homogeneous metal. The result is a more musical, higher mass bridge that has more of that machined-block sound. Fender was also able to keep the same American Series profile for increased tremolo travel.

Neck Gloss and Tint
The old Fender necks were satin all over primarily for the feel of the back of the neck. On the American Standards Fender kept the satin neck back, but still gave the rich tint and luster of a gloss finish to the front. When looking at the old and new side by side in comparison, there is no arguing that the new necks look classier and more detailed and 'finished'.

Thinner Body Undercoat
An undercoat serves to give the paint a smooth surface to adhere to so you have a nice looking finish. The thicker the undercoat, the more glass-like the finish, but the more constricted the guitar's body wood, which could affect tone. Fender has switched to a new undercoat that is thinner, and that allows the body to flex and resonate more, while retaining the cosmetic advantages of an undercoat.

Fender SKB Case
The new case is a true advancement in guitar presentation and protection. It is stackable, it balances perfectly, it is TSA lock equipped, and has glass reinforced nylon trigger latches and a killer form-fitted plush interior.

Fender Special Edition American Standard Stratocaster Features:

• Color: Sruf Green with Matching Headstock
  
• Body: Alder
  
• Finish: Polyurethane Finish
  
• Thinner Undercoat Finish for Improved Resonance
  
• Neck: Maple, Tinted Neck with Gloss Front/Satin Back
  
• Fretboard: Rosewood, 9.5"
  
• Rolled Fretboard Edges
  
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium-Jumbo
  
• Scale Length: 25.5"
  
• Nut: Melamine, Width: 1.685"
  
• Hardware: Chrome
  
• Machine Heads: Fender Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Tuning Keys
  
• Bridge: 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with American Standard Bent Steel Saddles
  
• Special Edition neck plate
  
• Copper Infused High-mass 100% Metal Bridge Block
  
• Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment
  
• Pickups: American Strat Single-Coil Pickups
  
• Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade
  
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1.(Neck pickup), Tone 2. Delta Tone™ (Middle and Bridge)
  
• Case: Molded Fender/SKB Case with TSA Locks, Glass Reinforced Nylon Trigger Latches, and Form Fitted Plush interior
  
• Accessories: Cable, strap, polishing cloth, trem arm, wrenches

Fender's Special Edition American Standard Stratocaster - a Strat for the 21st Century!

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number 011-0430-757